CHrist is coming down from heaven, and to dwel with men upon earth for a thousand yeers to deli­ver the whole mortal works and creatures of God on earth under heaven from the whole Principali­ties and powers of the Devil, for, and during that thou­sand yeers, according to promise, [...]: Peter 3.3.4. doth Peter say to these unbelieving scoffers: But Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeers. Therefore as the Lord was six days making the whole mortality very good, and man by his sin did provoke God to curse the same, with giving the Devil power over the whole-Man, so that man must also labor under the power of the Devil with the whole mortality for 6000. yeers. Therefore doth Peter say, that in the latter days, or towards the end of the 6000. yeers. Near to that coming of Christ there shalbe impatient unbelieving scoffers, that shal say, where is the promise or the fulfilling of the promise of his coming; unto whom Peter saith, Be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeers with man, or man cannot accomplish that under six thousand yeers, that God did in six days, even his working will. And as God did add a seaventh day of holy rest unto his six days of labour: So man was from the begining to celebrate every seaventh day a holy day of rest from labour, in remembrance of the sure pro­mise of Christ his coming to deliver man and the whole mortality, as Paul saith, Rom. 8.21.22.23. Rev. 21.1.2.3. the creature shall be delivered from the tyrannical power of the Devil for a thousand yeers, into the glorious liberty of the Sonns of God, even for that thousand yeers in which Iohn saw a new heaven and [Page 2]a new earth, and the holy City new Jerusalem comming down from God out of Heaven, with a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them; Rev: 20.6. and they shell be his people (because the Devil in, or during that time, shall have nothing to do with them) and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Therefore saith Iohn, Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection: because on such the second death hath no power. But they shall be Priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand yeers; according to the promise of God to Jesus Christ: Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole. Even the Devill and all his power and wic­ked instruments, who are the enemies of Iesus Christ and his members, and so taking the six days of Gods accompt, inwhich he made the whole mortality: and according to Peters accompt, six thousand yeers of Mans misery under the power of the Devil, by reason of sin: and taking the seaventh day of Gods accompt, in which he, with all the works of his hands, rested and kept a ho­ly day unto himself, and accompt a thousand yeers deli­verance from the power of the devil, sin, and death, in which God again will with man keep on earth a holy Sabboth or rest, then and thereby are the promises of Christ his coming by Peter, confirmed by the works of God, under Gods accompt, of seven days in the begin­ning: but Peter for more certainty of this truth, notwith­standing those impatient unbelieving scoffers, questio­ning the same in the behalf of himself, 2 Pet. 3.13 and all the belie­ving members of Iesus Christ of the promises of God in Christ, 2 Pet. 3.14 saith, Nevertheless we according to his (that is Gods) promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein awelleth righteousness Unto such saith Peter, Beloved, seeing that yee look for such things, be diligent that yee may be found in peace, without spot, and blameless; be­cause they that shall enioy such things saith Peter, 1 Pet. 2 9. Are a chosen genertion, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a pe­culiar people. Being made so by the righteousness of Iesus Christ.

Secondly, the coming of Christ is manifested by the glory of God, as the Text saith, If Christ had not risen from the dead, then had Christ dyed in vain: So likewise may it be said, if Christ be perfect God, as wel as perfect man, (who for man took upon him the nature of man: by which on earth he was by his perfect obedience to redeem man from that Power of the Devil, which the Devil gained over man by mans disobedience) it stands with the glory of God, for Christ, God on earth, to triumph over the Devil and all his power on earth, as well as to suffer under the devil and all his power on earth. Iesus Christ as he was a mortal man, it was a glo­ry to him to suffer for sinners, who himself sinned not, as the Text saith, The iust suffers for the uniust. But if Jesus Christ as he is God should not triumph over his enemies as a Conqueror, his sufferings would be coun­ted in vain on earth, therefore Iesus Christ as he is God, for the glory of his God-head, by his servant Iohn revea­leth to His, who shall partake of that glory that shall be on earth, when the power of the Devil shall be done away. And when new beavens and a new earth, and the ho­ly City new Ierusalem from heaven shall appear, then shall Iesus Christ glorifie himself as God. over the Devil and all his works and powers, as that God by whom all things were created both in heaven and earth. And thus is Christ coming to reign on the earth proved by the pro­mises of God, the works of God, and the glory of God.

Quest. What manner of glory will that be that Christ will have on earth amongst his Saints, and what habita­tion will he reside in?

Answ. It will be a heavenly glory, according to that which Christ desired as a son from god, as a father, saying, Father glorifie thy Son with that glory, which he had with thee. Iesus Christ amongst men on earth prayed to be glorified amongst men on earth, with a heavenly glory, that man on earth may see him a glorified god, and a conqueror of his enemies, as well as they did see him a despised and a suffering man under his enemies: Therefore and according to this doth Iohn after the pro­phesie [Page 4]of Esay say, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from god out of heaven, with a loud voyce, saying, behold the Taberna­cle of god is with men, and he will dwell with them. This glory for the fulness of it is not revealed, nor shall it be manifested unto men, until mens corruptions shall be done away, and that shall not be until the power of the Devil by the power of Christ shall be taken off of mortality, according to that of John; I saw an Angel come down from heaven, and he laid hold on the Devil, and bound him a thousand years that he should deceive the Na­tions or corrupt mortality no more, until those thousand yeare should be fulfilled, or accomplished.

The heavenly glory is within the apprehension of no corrupted flesh, further then the things of the flesh doth behold: And the brightest glory of mortality is the Sun: And Iohn saith, that that glory shall pass the glory of the Sun; insomuch that that holy City new Jerusalem, shall not need the light of the Sun: neither shall there be any night in it: But as in the Land of Egypt there was an exceeding darknes at noon-day. But in the land of Goshen no dark­nes. So likewise during those 1000. years in all the world there shal be night as wel as day: But in the new and hea­venly Jerusalem there shall be no night at all. And this is all that god hath revealed concerning the fulness of that havenly glory, because corrupted mortality can appre­hend no more: as Paul saith, If our hope were only in this mortal life, then we were of all men most miserable to suffer affliction for hope of a better life. If we should miss of it. But saith he, Yet it doth not, or here it doth not appear what we shall be. But when mortality shall put on immortali­ty, and corruption shall be changed into interruption, then it will appear; for here we know but in part: But then shall we know as we are known. That is, wee who know Iesus Christ as a sufferer, and rest upon the promises of God by faith in Iesus Christ for a rewarder: Though now we here with Christ suffer for the same, shall then know God and Iesus Christ in a heavenly glory, conqueringly, as they knew us here sufferingly.

Secondly, besides this heavenly glory which will in brightness pass the glory of the Sun, Christ wil be glori­fied by new ereated heavens and earth, as Peter saith, That is, by restoring of the firmamental heavens, whereof now the Devil is prince, into that same condition they were by God created in, when God saw them to be very good, before man had sinned, and they therefore corrupted by those evil Inhabitants, the Devil and his Angels: And by restoring of the earth with all the creatures created of it by God in the beginning within the six first days: And that God when he had looked, saw them to be very good, to that same condition they were by god created in, be­fore man had sinned. And they therefore and thereby were by the power of the Devil corrupted: This restora­tion after so long a continuance as almost six thousand yeers, shall by men be such a strange alteration, as though it were rather a creation then an alteration: And they who never did see no other but the corrupted heavens, and earth, to see an uncorrupted heaven and earth, wil be to them as a new created heaven and earth. And none male, nor female, from Adam and Eve, ever saw any but a corrupted heaven and earth: because the heavens and the eath were corrupted before they had any [...]ssa [...]; there­fore doth the Text say, that God will create new heavens & new earth, becaus the sons of Adam never saw that very good condition the heavens & the earth were at the first created in, and into which they shall be again restored.

Thirdly God, Christ on earth, will be gloryfied by a a holy City, a new Ierusalem from God out of heaven; which shall in largness far pass that old Ierusalem builded by the Iews, though it was in Solomons time, the greatest City in the whole world, as a City of twelve thousand fur­longs square; which is by eight furlongs to a mile, fifteen hundred miles square, can pass the largness of that old Ierusalem; And this City shall so far pass the old Jerusa­lem in glory, as precious stones can surpass in glory ordi­nary stones, wood, buck, morter, iron, Steel, and brass, in the foundations, walls and gates thereof. And the pavements of this City shall so far surpass in glory [Page 6]the pavements of the old Jerusalem, as polished gold like transparent glass doth surpass pibble stones; Rev. 21 & 22. as John at large expresseth the same: And the Temple in the City shall so far surpass in glory Solomons Temple, that was the glory of the old Jerusalem, as the glory of God and Jesus Christ doth surpass the glory of fine gold, which was the glory of that Temple, as the Text saith, The gold beautified the Temple. And this holy and great City shall be the residing place of GOD and Iesus Christ on earth with all the faithfull members of Iesus Christ from Abel to that day.

Object. This relation of Iohn is to signifie and figure out Gods glorious Kingdom to eternity; and not that there shall ever be here on earth any such glorious place or being.

Answ. That which is imposfible with man, is possible with god, who is able to do all things. And hath any man found God a lyar at any time, who is faithfull in all his pro­mises, 2 Pet. 3.4. and just in all his ways? But Peter saith, That in the latter days there shall be scoffers, who shall say, where is the promise of his coming? for all things continue as they were from the beginning; and so deny the word of truth. But saith Peter, We who are written in the Book of life. Never­wee according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, 2 Pet. 3:13. which is Iesus Christ, as John saith, J heard a great voyce out of heaven, saying Behold the Tabernacle of god is with men, Rev. 21, 3. and he wil dwell, with them, and they shall be his people, and god himself shall be with them, and be their god: as Solomon saith, it is true indeed, 1 King. 8 27. Rev. 22, 16. that god will dwell on the earth, and for a sure evidence of the same saith the Text, J Jesus have sent mine Angel to testifie unto you these things in the Churches: which things Peter questioned not, but to his Church said, Beloved seeing that yee look for such things, be diligent that yee may be found in peace, without spot and blameless. And to any Church that shall question these things, 2 Pet. 3.14. saith John. These sayings are faithful and true; for I Iohn saw and [Page 7]heard these things; Rev. 22.6, 16, 18 and J testifie unto every man that hea­reth the words of the Prophesie of this book, (wheresoever it is published) that if any man shal add too, or take away from the words of the Prophesie of this book, God shal take away his part out of the book of life; and also take away his Part out of the holy City; which City saith the Text lyeth four-square, the length is as the bredth, Rev. 21.16, twelve thousand furlongs; the squares lye East, West, North, and South. The East and West are derived from the antipodes of the rising and setting of the Sun in the firmamental heavens, created on the fourth day. The North and the South are derived from the antipodes of the two ends of the worlds Axletree, called the North and south pole, or the two frozen Zones of the earth by reason of the suns obscurity and distance. This City is to be on earth, be­cause it lyeth four-square, East, West, North and south; It is walled about, and so bounded. The length is as the bredth, twelve thousand furlongs, which is fifteen hun­dred miles. The Text saith, in it there shall be no need of the sun. But the Text doth not say that it is not within the compass of the sun, therefore on earth; for in heaven gods glorious Kingdom, habitation and dwelling place is no sun, and where there is no sun, there can be no East, West, North nor South; therefore this city cannot be meant nor understood to be heaven, but is meant and to be understood that such a city shal be on earth.

Now the reason why these things of the Devils con­finement or imprisonment for a thousand yeers, and the glorious new Jerusalem with all its glorious accommo­dations promised, are not believed by us Gentiles, is this, As the Devil by his power in mortality deceived the Jews of the suffering comming of Jesus Christ for mans redemption, though promised and prophesied of by the only looking for Jesus Christ a conqueror, and King of Kings, according to the promises of a conquering Saviour by the Devils deceit, esteeming his suffering Redeemers condition to be too mean a condition for the Son of god, and so therefore did not believe him to be the son of [Page]God: but upon the Cross said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross, and then we wil be­lieve thee. And so the Devil Deceived the Iews, from their benefit of Iesus Christ, his redeeming condition. And so also the Devil by his power in mortality goes a­bout to deceive us Gentiles of Jesus Christ his glorious conquering, Princely condition, by putting on this mask of infidelity upon us gentiles, notwithstanding all the sure promises of God, that for Christ to come down out of heaven, and on earth to dwel in a walled City that is bounded, is too glorious a condition for man to be­hold, and for the earth to bare; and therefore through unbelief and the Devils deceit do scoffingly say, where is the promise of his coming? Expecting no other comming, but his comming to Iudgment: and so doth the Devil goe about to deceive us gentiles of our benefit of Christ his glorious conquering reign & condition here on earth in that great holy City new Ierusalem. Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhat. Noah was drunk, Ham jeers at his Fathers nakedness, and therefore is cursed and deprived of all the precious promises made to Noah and his seed. Shem and Japhat were sorry and ashamed to see their Fathers nakedness; and therefore going backward covered their Fathers nakedness, upon whom the promises of God to Noah were confirmed; not­withstanding the said confirmation of promises, inas­much as the Devils original power in, and over mortali­ty by Adam is not taken away, his deceit ceaseth not; for as he did deceive the Iews of Christs suffering coming, so he laboureth to deceive us gentles of Christ his con­quoring comming, as he doth deceive the Heathen of both, who never have had in the one, nor shall have in the other any more benefit then the bruit beasts; there­fore saith John without this C [...]ty shall be dogs, murtherers, whoremangers, adulterers & lyars, into whom the Devil when he shall be let loose for a little season, shal again enter into under the name of Gog and Magog, to make them more wicked then ever they were before, accor­ding to that Text, Out of whom the Devil is cast, and re­turns [Page]again, he carrieth with him seven worse spirits then the former, and so the latter end of that man is worse then the beginning, because they have no share or part in the book of life, nor in this holy City.

Quest. When wil the time of the comming of Christ be to reign on earth for 1000, yeers?

Ans. That man that wil declare more then God hath revealed, must be wiser then God made him; for saith the Text, If an Angel from heaven teach any other doc­trine then what is delivered, believe him not. And as is also said, if they wil not believe the Law and the Prophets, nei­ther wil they believe if one should rise from the dead. The precise time God hath concealed, therefore no man can declare it. But so far as God hath revealed, and presi­dents of Scripture doe make out, Gen. 3. so far may a man sup­pose thus. Man was tempted by the devil to disobey God, Gen. 5.3.28. Gen. 7.6. whose disobedience God suffered from the crea­tion of Adam to Noahs flood, which was 1656. yeers.

And as God waited with patience on Satans deceived ones, 1656 yeers. In relation by comparison to that may be supposed that John doth declare the time of Christ his patience, and waiting on Satan the deceiver; for as God in vengeance did not destroy the old world, until he with patience had suffered their evil mannners 1656, yeers. So may it be supposed that Christ will not destroy the power of Sathan the deceiver, until with patience hee hath waited, and born and suffered in himself and mem­bers, Sathans evils. 1666. years from his own birth; for Iohn saith, Here is wisdom; Rev. 13.18. let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. David in his days did number the days of a man to be 70. years, and Iohn here to 66. years, because of the decay of nature; for it cannot be thought that mans life toward the end of the world, of which Iohn treats, should be 666. but 66. may be, and also is commonly seen; by which supposition it may be gathe­red, that Christ with patience wil wait and forbare Sa­thans evils ten years longer then God did bare with the [Page 10]old world. The one was 1656. years; and the other wil be 1666. years, according to this collection. Christ wil bare and suffer the evils of Sathan, before hee take ven­gence on the Devil, to destroy or confine his power, for a thousand years until 1666. years from the birth of Iesus Christ to deliver the whole mortality from the pow­er of the Devil, Rom. 8.19, 20, 21, 22, 23. as Paul saith, the fervent desire of the creature waiteth when the Sons of God shall be revealed; for the creatures earnestly desire the revelation of the time that the Sons of God shall be delivered, because the creature is subject to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him which hath subdued it under hope. The crea­ture did not offend, it was the man, male, and semale, Adam that did offend: but the creature because it was created for man, must abide the curse with man; there­fore the creatures also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God; for wee know that every creature groaneth with us also, and travelleth in pain together unto this present. And not only the creature, but wee also which are the first fruits of the Spirit, even we do sigh in our selves, and wait for the adop­tion, even for the redemption of our bodies, or an assurance of our parts in the blessed first resurrection, which shall bring us the redemption of our bodies, who are the adopted Sons of Iesus Christ, by which blessed first resur­rection shall our bodies be delivered out of the Devils prison, the grave, and the bodies hell, to Gods Saints: against whom the Devil had no further power, but to kill our bodies, and to imprison them in the mortall hell, the grave of earth, from whence our bodies came, and unto which we did expect they should return again for a time and as the corn there lies in the earth, waiting with the Husband-man; for the first fruits of the spirit, which is that blessed first resurrection of all that are dead in Christ, from Abel the first that dyed, and all others dead before, and the living then in the year of Christ, from the birth of Christ. 1666. shall be partakers of Iesus Christ his glorious reign for that 1000 years of the Devils confinement or imprisonment.